Ex-Ferrari F1 boss reveals how he denied Senna a chance to sign with the team

Former Ferrari workforce principal Jean Todt has revealed the essential roadblock that stopped Ayrton Senna from signing with Ferrari within the early Nineties.

When Lewis Hamilton signed for Ferrari forward of the 2024 season, a 12 months earlier than his eventual swap from Mercedes, it was the largest story in world sport, transcending motorsport alone.

Had Todt been keen to tear up the contract of both Gerhard Berger or Jean Alesi for the 1994 season, the information would have precipitated precisely the identical stage of hype.

Talking on the Excessive Efficiency Podcast, Todt stated: “The primary dream driver I mentioned (with Ferrari) was Ayrton Senna.

“He got here to my room and we spent a part of the night time collectively, to talk about him becoming a member of Ferrari, and he wished to come back. He wished to come back, however in ’94. In ’94, we already had contracts with Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi.

“So, I stated to him that ’94 wouldn’t be attainable. Firstly, we weren’t prepared but, after which we’ve got a contract. He answered to me, ‘In Formulation 1, contracts aren’t vital’. I stated, ‘For me, a contract is vital’.”

This precept is an altogether uncommon one in F1, particularly in fashionable occasions, with launch clauses now commonplace and drivers usually making an attempt, and succeeding, in forcing by means of a transfer regardless of what’s written down of their preparations.

Previous to his fateful transfer to Williams for the 1994 season, Senna had been racing with McLaren, the workforce with which he’s most related, and with whom he secured all three of his world titles.

The transfer might have occurred a season earlier, with Honda pulling out of F1, however a ‘No Senna’ clause in Alain Prost’s Williams contract prevented this from being a chance, even with the Brazilian providing to race free of charge to skirt the problem.

Todt added: “I heard there was some contact earlier than me, however I can’t discuss that. With me, on the head of the Formulation 1 workforce, it was a dialogue in September ’93 for him arriving in ’95, and he wished to reach in ’94, that’s the reason he went to Williams.”